WTW survey reveals shift in priorities as pandemic concerns fade; Most organizations still face unexpected losses in their supply chain.
Nearly two-thirds, or 63%, of organizations continue to experience higher-than-expected supply chain losses despite increased risk management efforts, according to the 2025 WTW Global Supply Chain Risk Survey.
The survey reveals a significant shift in supply chain risk priorities, with geopolitical tensions (19%) and cybersecurity threats (16%) outpacing pandemic-related concerns. Additionally, according to the report, fewer than 8% of companies believe they have full control over their supply chain risks, highlighting the critical need for strategic partnerships and stronger internal capabilities to address these challenges.
“Supply chains are the backbone of any organizational ecosystem. However, their complex design, international reach and broad exposure to risk present significant challenges for organizations,” said Simon Sølvsten, head of organizational resilience research at the WTW research network.
Geopolitical instability and cybersecurity are reshaping risk priorities
Supply chain risk priorities have undergone a dramatic transformation since 2023, reflecting the volatile global landscape businesses now face. Geopolitical factors have grown in importance, with 55% of respondents ranking them as a top concern in 2025, compared to just 35% in 2023. This sharp increase highlights how international tensions, trade disruptions and political instability have become key considerations in supply chain planning.
Cybersecurity has become another dominant concern, moving from relative obscurity in supply chain considerations to a central priority for risk managers, WTW found.
The percentage of companies identifying data security as a critical risk more than doubled, from 23% in 2023 to 47% in 2025. This reflects the growing vulnerability of increasingly digitized supply chains to cyber threats, the report notes. At the same time, inflation has also grown in importance, with 55% of companies ranking it among their top three risks in 2025, a significant increase from 31% in 2023.
Conversely, pandemic and health risks have declined in urgency, falling to just 37% in 2025, compared to 60% of respondents ranking them as a top concern in 2023. This shift suggests that while COVID-19 has radically reshaped supply chain thinking, companies have now internalized these lessons and turned their attention to the more immediate threats posed by geopolitical instability and economic pressures, according to WTW.
The control paradox: trust versus reality
Despite increased investments in risk management, companies still face a significant gap between their perception of supply chain risk control and the actual results they achieve, according to the survey. While 57% of organizations believe supply chain risks are partially within their control, and 31% believe supply chain risks are somewhat within their control, the reality of disruption paints a different picture, WTW reported.
In 2025, 62% of companies reported experiencing supply chain losses beyond their expectations, and 10% of them were hit with losses much greater than expected.
This disconnect between confidence and results has persisted since 2023, when 65% of companies faced similarly unexpected losses. The consistency of these findings highlights a persistent challenge: Despite improvements in risk management frameworks, the complex and interconnected nature of global supply chains continues to produce unanticipated vulnerabilities for organizations, according to WTW.
Raw material shortages have become increasingly problematic, with 35% of companies ranking it among their top four concerns in 2025, compared to 23% in 2023. At the same time, transportation issues and driver shortages, which were previously significant concerns, have declined in importance (falling from 34% to 23%), suggesting that companies have adapted their logistics strategies in response to previous disruptions.
Get the full report here. &